Pittsburgh Food Festivals

Food and fun just go together and, in Pittsburgh, food is often the reason for the fun. There's a Pittsburgh Restaurant Week celebration in the winter and summer, neighborhood soup crawls and cookie tours, apple, maple and whiskey festivals. And, Pittsburgh's annual food festivals feature ethnic or traditional foods as well as the music, dance, crafts and culture that go along with them.

Pittsburgh Restaurant Week in January and August each year features more than 50 restaurants offering special dining deals. During the week-long, city-wide event, dine at one of Pittsburgh's finest restaurants and take advantage of three-course, fixed-price meals or $20.14 (or .15 or .16, you get the idea!) specials.

The Annual Greek Festival Guide provides a complete listing of the many Greek festival dates and locations. The Pittsburgh Irish Festival happens each September and features authentic Irish food, music and crafts. It's all-Italian-all the time at Bloomfield Little Italy Days which takes place at the end of August and features music, food, games and more food! A visit to Pittsburgh would not be complete without a stop at the Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival on September 24 at Kennywood Park. Enjoy hot and delicious pierogies, a Pittsburgh food staple, in Pittsburgh staple attraction!

Soup's on at the South Side Soup Contest. With Butternut Bourbon Bisque and Chipotle Chicken Chorizo, it's mmmmm good! This annual contest warms the heart - and belly. The annual February event allows shoppers in Pittsburgh's funky South Side neighborhood to sample soups from 20 local restaurants for one low price. More than 1,200 people slurped and shopped in the "Soup Hop," which benefits a local food pantry.

For two days in July, the Rachel Carson Bridge (9th Street Bridge) in Downtown Pittsburgh will transform into Picklesburgh, highlighted by a giant flying pickle balloon. Picklesburgh is an annual festival that celebrates pickling in all its glorious incarnations and goes beyond the dill pickle to include international dishes and handcrafted foods from local chefs; “how-to” demos; a selection of artisan cocktails; pickle themed merchandise, live music, and even a competitive pickle juice drinking contest.

Feel like impressing the family? Then be sure to stop by the Bulgarian-Macedonian Soup Sega! Running through the first week of May, The Bulgarian Macedonia Educational and Cultural Center prepares quite the spread of homemade soups, stews and desserts that can be ordered online and picked up at the Soup Sega! kitchen in West Homestead.

The Lawrenceville neighborhood hosts the annual Joy of Cookies Cookie Tour each December. This free, family-friendly event takes place at more than 30 participating businesses where Cookie Tourists can sample the shopkeeper's favorite cookie.

Another Pittsburgh food staple is the Lenten Fish Fry. Beginning on Ash Wednesday and continuing every Friday until Easter, you can find great fish fries held in churches, fire halls and community buildings all over the Pittsburgh area.